The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-06-23

y
that the action of the Government in
ordering a return of the Southern bat
tie flags Is regarded as proof that in
the opinion of the Executive the
Southern States can preserve the
memories of the past and still do their
whole duty as coequRl States to com
mon Union in the present and in the
future.
FITzHUGH LEE, Governor.
BATON ROUGE LA, Juue l6.
To the Editor of the World:
| think the Southern battle flags
should be returned The sections have
been gradually tending towards peace
and fraternal relations, and the return
of these flags, endeared to the heroic
men who surrendered them, by many
associations of home and battle, will
further strengthen the bonds of the
Nation. l have asked their return to
the various commands in this state,
and the occasion will be made one of
rejoicing
s.. d. MCENERY, Governor.
.a
stOId Tecumss >, Common Sense
Ethics.
An unseemly and unwarranted hull
iabaloo has been raised by a coterie of
hot heads in the Grand Army of the
Republic, disciplined in hatred rather
than the generous impulses of brave
men, over the proposed visit of Presi-
dent to St Louis during the annual
National Encampment. 1t was the
acme of foOlishnsss, promising to re-
suit in q serious schism in the ranks
of the organization, as not a few of its
members with the surrender of their
combatants, substituted charity and
fraternal kindness for strife and hatred
as becomes true men and warriors
with hypodermic injection of com
mon sense, which should resuscitate
and invigorate the lethargic and hy
bridized patriotism which seems to
have taken possession of these ire
pressibles who can neither foi bear or
forgive. The following is General
Sherman's letter in full, which will
lose none of it's force by careful pc
fusal, as tfe General uses the pen as
the sword in a vigorous and effective
manner:
The rumor of your troubles in St
Louis reached me by telegraph, and
has lost nothing by distance. 1 be-
lieve we here in New York now un.
derstand the facts: The G. A. r..
holds its next Annual Encampment
at st. Louis on the last Wednesday of
Sep ember, 1887; that the great Fair
of the Valley of the Mississippi be-
gins Monday. October 3; that the best
citizeDs of st. Louis have invited
many prominent men to be the guests
of their city on the accidental coinci
dence of these two important events,
among these the President of our
common country, Grover Cleveland,
his family and suite. The Grand Ar
my of the Republic is composed ex-
clusiveIy of men who served in the
army and navy of the Union, to which
Mr.. Cleveland does not belong, and,
therefore, he cannot participate in any
of it's proceedings; but the moment
the Grand Army emerges from its hall
of deliberation it becomes. like Free
masons, Odd Fellows, and other soci-
cites of good men associated for no
BILE purpose, a part of the general com
muniIy, subject to the laws and usages
of that cOmmuDity.
Mr. Cleveland, the President of the
United States, by fair election of all
our people, Commander in Chief o.
the Army and Navy of the United
States, is free to come and go wherev'
er the jurisdiction of our government
extends. He may visit any fort III
ship, where the national iiag will bt
lowered to manifest respect to him anG
to his office. and should foreign shil
fail to do him full honors, none will
be so quick to resent an insult as the
Grand Army of the Republic, who
periled life and limb to make that flag
respected at home and abroad. The
idea of his being insulted, much less
endangered, should he be ON the stanC
alongside of our Commander in Chief
General Fairchild, when the Crane
Army is passing in review, seems tC
me mOnstrous. / think | know the
Iowa boys too well to believe such s
thing possible. Brave men are never
ungeDerous, and the Iowa soldiers were
brave men. / know it of knowledg,
acquired in battle, and will pledg,
my life that no Iowa soldier will do Sc
unmaIly an act; and, should Mr.
Cleveland accept the invitation, which
hope he will, to attend the parade o
the Grand Army of the Republic il
st. Louis ON the 2Sth of Septembel
next, I will stand by his side or march
past in the ranks of Ransom Post, a!
may be ordered by General Fairchild
4 1 notice with pain that the Presi
dents action on some pension bill,
enters into this unhappy controversy
There were many private bills, anC
one of q general nature, which thu
President vetoed. The Constitution
of the United States compels the Pres
ident to approve or veto each separate
bill, as it reaches him from Congress
If approved, it becomes a law, If We
toed, it requires an increased majority
of Cont r. So to pass it, but the Presi
dent can only account for his judg
ment to his own conception of duty
and to his God We as soldiers mus
submit to it, because it is the law.
do not believe this Government car
! ever be less charitable to the old sol
diers, wounded, or in distress by ag'
and infirmity, and had / been nea
Mr.. Cleveland 1 would not have ven
tured to advise him on the genera
bill but as to the private cases, I Woult
have said: Charity enters largely
. into all pensions, and when any spe
cial bills have passed the ordeal of tn,
com mmittees of the Senate and House
Approve them; but on the general bill
exercise your full constitutional pow
ter.n
Honest men differ widely on thi
question of pensions TO our old ant
feeble comrades. We all want to dc
what is right, but differ as to tn,
means. All we know is that for TWEEN
ty odd years after the civil war, tn,
Government of the United States
under Republican and Democratic
rule, paid out to our soldiers of tn,
Union army about 500, ,000, COO a year
and few thousands to the Mexican
war veterans, regardless of locality
and not one cent to the rebels of tn,
South whom we fought in the civi
war We old soldiers of the civil wa
have not just cause to make an issu,
on the question of pensic Ds to our in
firm and wounded comrades. 1 advise
you to go right along, prepare the way
for the Grand Army of the Republi,
at its session of Wednesday, Septem
ber %, 1887, at St. Louis, and receive
them as they deserve, as honore,
guests; also, the President of the Uni
tn1 0fh